Views and Happenings

Month: May 2016

It gets a little confusing, doesn’t it? Veterans Day, Memorial Day, one in the spring, the other in the fall and not always sure what the difference is. Does it matter anyway?

It matters plenty to everyone who loves America and feels a debt of gratitude to those who serve our country in the Armed Forces.

Memorial Day is a national holiday set aside to honor deceased members of the US Armed Forces. Not dead veterans but those who died while serving our country in active duty. Originally it was called Decoration Day, established in the year 1868 and the month of May chosen for it as flowers grow abundantly in all parts of the US then. The idea was to place flowers on the graves of the war dead.

Here is another thought: this can include not just humans but animals who served in our wars. There were many from horses, to elephants, dogs, birds, etc.

Take some time this Monday, May 30, to remember and honor those who lost their lives for ours. Try to imagine the bravery, mental and physical toughness, focus and concentration these folks had to summon. Lives abruptly ended, most in their youth. Parents, sweethearts, friends left behind.

I am a pretty steely gal, but doubt I have one tenth of what it took for these men and women to serve and be willing to give everything for our freedom.

Moving on to November 11, Veterans Day, we continue to honor those who have served our country but are still living as well as those who died as veterans, after their active duty ended. This holiday originally began as Armistice Day.

If readers have a different understanding of these two holidays, I welcome corrections and clarifications in the comment section. Thanks to the troops and their families and may God continue to Bless America.

Well, No-Go Zones seem to be the cool thing in Europe, but you see how not-so-well those have fared. I have idea: how about No-Curse Zones! Yes, and how about extending them everywhere!

Cursing is just so…..let me see…..uncivilized. It is for people who are sloppy and like to take the easy way in life. Cursing is so…easy isn’t it? Someone cuts you off on the road or is rude and it just makes you want to say “hey a—ho—e” or something like that. And it even feels good to do it. But only for that moment, then you feel a little diminished afterward. It’s similar to eating a big ice cream sundae which is so much easier than making a salad, tastes phenomenal, then afterward you feel like a brick.

So, here’s what I’ve decided to do in my own life: Disclaimer: I’ve cursed aplenty, even like a sailor, until a few years ago when I decided it just wasn’t cool. And that it didn’t honor God. While we’re at it, the worst of the worst cursing is using the name of the lord in vain: ‘God-this; Jesus-that’, etc. Just say no to that. Back to what I’ve decided to do: our home is a no-curse zone. I extend this to the areas I inhabit at work and in public as well.

Here’s how it usually goes: I’m in the grocery store in the meat section. Some Staten Island-looking guy (sorry) comes over, looks down at the packaged meat and says “Holy Ch—st, look at the price of that fu—ing steak, and it probably tastes like sh—t too”. He looks at me for a response and he gets one. “Friend”, say I, “you don’t have to buy it and also you don’t have to use such foul (or should I say ‘fowl’ since we’re still in the meat department!) language’. Whoa, the guy gets every one of his neck hairs standing on end and says “FREEDOM OF SPEECH, LADY!!!!” And storms off, until, that is, I manage to follow him and explain that I do not surrender my unalienable right to the pursuit of happiness as mentioned in the Declaration of Independence and that his language is definitely not making me happy at all. I doubt the argument would stand a chance legally, but the Staten Island-looking guy will not forget this encounter. Maybe he will think twice before doing it again?

Moving on to the workplace where I routinely withstand a professional veterinary employee, Catholic indeed, ‘Jesus Chri—ting” and ‘God dam—ing” every minute or so. As I am not an employee of this establishment (I provide volunteer, pro-bono specialty care to animals at the facility), I am unfamiliar with workplace policy and when asked, am told that cursing in non-public areas is allowed. Wow. Okay, here is the beauty of volunteering: when I go to this site, it becomes MY workplace and I now carry a sign on my bag that states “My Workplace is a Curse-Free Zone”. When Miss Catholic- potty- mouth begins one of her rants, I just cough and point to my sign. She is learning not to use these offensive phrases when I am around, but is no longer friendly to me. Oh well.

If you find cursing at home, at work and in public to be offensive, I encourage you to try these methods. Alternative ideas are gratefully received in the comments section below! Legally, of course, the First Amendment protects cursing, unless it can be proven to inflict injury or incite immediate breach of peace.

There are so many things in life beyond our control, but thankfully, we always have the ability to choose our words, whether spoken or written. With awareness, patience and practice, I encourage everyone to take the harder route of using civil language and enjoy the liberty it brings!

Mayors of London and Paris, Sadiq Khan and Ann Hildago, have decided together, as the arrogant elitists they are, that Donald J. Trump is stupid. “He is so stupid, my God”, says Hildago. I guess her mother never taught her that taking the Lord’s name in vain is pretty STUPID.

Let me tell Mayor Hildago what is STUPID: Charlie Hebdo making fun of Muhammad. Gee, why did the terrorists attack? Free speech is a double-edged sword and I guess Paris found out what edge of the sword they fell on. I abhor what the terrorists did and hope God deals with them justly, but why provoke in such a way this satirical weekly chose to? Just plain stupid. There are good people who follow Muhammad, though I am surely not one. Frankly, I have no respect whatsoever for Muhammad–he did not lay down his life for me, a sinner, nor was he a peace-loving guy as my dear Savior, Jesus . But to mock him with cartoons, insult his followers…STUPID.

Here is something else that is really STUPID: allowing No-Go Zones in Paris and other European cities. STUPID.

So here is a news flash for these 2 new mayors who are so full of themselves: Donald J Trump is more successful than both of you put together, plus all of your ancestors. And, he is not STUPID. He is a Nationalist, and a supporter of the Republic for which the USA stands. Maybe these mayors will get it when they see our country regain its foothold after the near destruction of Obama’s ideology. We do not want to be part of your ONE WORLD ORDER, Europe! We are the USA, willing to participate in God’s created earth, but prepared to take care of ourselves and defend our values first. We already won our independence from England and we’ve helped the French in their times of need and surely will again, but we do not need lessons from your mayors. Watch us elect a President, Donald J. Trump, who is smart, savvy and for America first.

Keep criticizing our nominee and watch American tourism diminish in your respective cities. Add that to your box of chocolates!

“You can’t HANDLE the truth!” Remember that great line expertly delivered by Jack Nicholson in the movie A Few Good Men? It was an awesome moment. It translates from Hollywood easily into our daily network news organizations too.

Take Fox News: here is public display of selective censorship, when the higher-ups can’t handle the truth from some of their pundits. The latest fallout: the lovely, bright and talented Andrea Tantaros, host of Outnumbered. Dang, they suspended her suddenly last week and she was the best part of the show! Why? Don’t buy the hype about contract disputes, it’s pretty obvious that it’s about her plain speech, pro-Trump. Oh, and she said a few great zingers about Obama too. On Fox, it’s NOT OKAY to like Trump, unless you’re Hannity or Van Susteren, each of whom own their brand and have staying power. Otherwise, Fox is still reeling from their failed push to elect Rubio, so anyone other than Sean and Greta, is going south if they speak in favor of Trump. It’s okay to censor Tantaros you see, but fine to let the androgenous, liberal -leaning, David Bowie- wanna- be- Trump hater Missy Missy Meggy Kelly have free reign of speech. It’s selective censorship.

Now, over on CNN they have the same thing going on: no one is allowed more freedom to rant ‘anti-Trump’ than my favorite radical, Czar-not Star-Van Jones. Whew! Watching this guy is pretty entertaining! Remember when Obama made him the ‘Green Jobs Czar’? That didn’t last long. This guy is a bomb ready to explode and CNN lets him go full-tilt. The best was a few weeks ago when he was arguing with Jeffrey Lord over which party is stoking racial tensions. Whoa, Van surely cannot handle that truth! He was literally losing it and actually put his hand on Lord’s shoulder, a very aggressive move. Well, Lord was the better man and ignored it. Don’t EVER put a hand on me Van.

If you’re pro-Trump, you get censored. If you’re anti-Trump, the sky’s the limit. Selective censorship.

Now back to Fox, the best place to be if you’re pro-Trump and don’t wish to be axed, is the play-it-safe-zone that Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee and Rudy Guilliani have placed themselves in. (‘we aren’t endorsing him but we sure like him’).

Finally, there is our Speaker Paul Ryan. He is selectively censoring himself: “I’m not there right now”. Isn’t that convenient? It’s one thing to be controlled by a network news organization that holds your contract, but here’s an elected guy who works for the American people!

You watch, the Megyn/Meghan’s (Kelly/McCain) of Fox world and the Radical Jones of CNN will be allowed free speech, but Ms. Tantaros gets the sack…..but in the end Andrea will land on a higher place. She is the author of a new book and that is a place where you can’t be censored!